Tag Archives: playoffs

Episode #295: Soler Power

Jorge Soler is introduced to the media at Spring Training on February 18, 2024. Photo by Andy Kuno.

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The Giants officially opened up spring training this week, and we had a lot to catch up on. First and foremost, the Giants plugged in some desperately needed power by signing Jorge Soler to a 3 year, $42 million contract. He’s slotted to bat fourth and be the Giants’ primary DH. Zaidi also said that they are essentially “done” with acquisitions and trades for now, although Blake Snell is still sitting out there as a prized free agent, not to mention Matt Chapman and Cody Bellinger. The Giants traded Ross Stripling to Oakland, but their opening day rotation looks a little light. Perhaps the Giants will stand pat with signing Jordan Hicks, who will become a starter after a long stint as a flame-throwing reliever, along with a trio of young starters, until Alex Cobb and Robbie Ray come off the injury shelf. Hey, the Panda is back! But, don’t expect him to make the roster out of spring training. We also talk about numbers, jerseys, and a LOT of 49ers talk.

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Episode #294: Stop Bogarting all the FAs, Dodgers!

Jung Hoo Lee was signed and introduced by the Giants in December. Since then, they’ve traded for Robbie Ray and signed Jordan Hicks.

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We break in the new year by reflecting on the signings of Jung Hoo Lee, Jordan Hicks, and the trade for Robbie Ray. Bye Disco and Haniger, we barely knew ya! The Giants avoid arbitration with three key players, but will probably face an arbiter in February with JD Davis. The need is obvious: at least a healthy starting pitcher and some power, but the Dodgers are apparently cornering the market on everyone! There is still hope with several key free agents still available. Let’s just hope Farhan can actually make some of these happen or it’s going to be a very long year.

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Episode #293: Shohei, hei, hey…wait a minute?!

FU#%!

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Not that we’re shocked, but the greatest unicorn player since Babe Ruth and most prized free agent in…well, maybe forever, decided that his services should stay in southern California but with the Bums. That’s right, the ONE team we didn’t want to see him go to was the Dodgers. $700 million over 10 years. The richest sports contract in history. The Giants were reportedly on the outside of the 3 finalists, which were Toronto, Anaheim, and LA, so they didn’t really have a chance in the end. Where do the Giants pivot? There is still a lot of talent out there, and signing a few all-starts versus one unicorn can still be a better value deal, despite missing on the marketing opportunities (which, by the way, may pay for most of Ohtani’s contract in LA).

Chad and Eric try and point the ship in the right direction for the Giants to sail, but seeing Ohtani in Dodger blue for the next 10 years has us….concerned to say the least. We review the available free agents, whom the Giants have signed, yet-to-be-signed arbitration-eligible players, and review the 2023 baseball awards.

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Episode #292: New Skipper, Who ‘Dis?

Bob Melvin was announced as the new manager for the San Francisco Giants today, October 25, 2023. In a surprising development, the Padres gave permission to the Giants to interview Melvin, the former Giants’ catcher. AP Photo/Eric Reisberg

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Once we heard that the San Diego Padres gave the Giants permission to speak with Bob Melvin, we knew it was just a matter of days before Melvin was signed and announced as the 39th manager in franchise history. That was made official this morning with an introductory press conference. What a strange turn of events. On July 18, the Giants were 1.5 games back of the Dodgers for the NL West, and had a firm grip on the #1 wild card seed. A few months later, not only is Gabe Kapler fired, but the manager of the All-star-studded Padres bailed ship with a year left on his contract for the Giants. Sounds similar to another ex-catcher and Padres manager that came north, eh? Chad and Eric review the positives and the challenges of the Melvin signing, and the fact that Farhan Zaidi was extended through 2026. Also, Bruce Bochy did it again! After winning Game 7 of the ALCS against another former Giants manager in Dusty Baker, he is now 6-0 in winner-take-all games, and it was his 13th managerial victory in an elimination game. Of course, 6 of those came in the 2012 postseason alone! We preview the matchup between Bochy’s Rangers and the speedy, 84-win Diamondbacks, who edged out Philly in 7 games. So much to talk about!

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Episode #291: Bochy vs. Dusty

Bruce Bochy and Dusty Baker will be facing each other in the ALCS, but it’s not the first time they’ve met in the playoffs. The Giants famously came back from an 0-2 deficit to Dusty’s Reds in 2012 after “Preacher” Pence inspired the team to not quit.

You can download the episode here, or stream it below!

The Championship Series are set, and we find two ex-Giants’ managers against each other in the American League with Texas vs Houston, while the powerhouse Braves and Dodgers were eliminated in the division series, leaving the upstart Diamondbacks against the slugging Phillies in the National League. The teams with the best five best records in the regular season went 1-13 in the playoffs! Willie, Chad, and Eric review the first two rounds, but focus on the Dodgers’ failures, and the matchup between Bochy and Dusty. We touch on the Giant’s managerial search and offer our opinions of what they need to look for in a candidate, and we make our LCS and World Series picks.

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Episode #290: Kapped

San Francisco Giants’ Brandon Crawford (35) gestures to the crowd before his at bat during the first inning of his MLB baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in San Francisco, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023.

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The firing of manager Gabe Kapler wasn’t unexpected, but his firing with three games left was. We speculate on why he was fired with three games left, and where the Giants go from here. This is a meaty, longer episode where we dive into the psychology of the firing, and whom they may hire as Kapler’s replacement. The Giants finished below average in almost every category, yet finished just below .500. That in itself is a testament to squeezing blood out of a stone, but at the same time, the Giants were 13 games above .500 and only needed to finish with a barely sub-.500 record from that point to make the playoffs. Miami and Arizona made the playoffs with a mere 84 wins while the Giants had 79. That’s only a 5 game differential. Just one extra win a month. Baseball is cruel. We also give our postseason picks, reminisce about Brandon Crawford’s career, and we’ll be back in a week or two to talk playoffs and free agency. This is gonna get weird!

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Episode #268: Dusty Gets His Ring

Dusty Baker reacts shortly after winning the World Series 4 games to 2 over the Phillies on November 5, 2022. Photo: Getty Images

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Dusty Baker finally got the monkey off his back and won his first ring as a manger as the Houston Astros defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 4 games to 2. Jeremy Pena won the first World Series MVP by a position player rookie, along with ALCS MVP and a gold glove. Yes, we talk a little Judge, since the hot stove is LIT! And, Carlos Rodon officially declined his $22.5m option, as expected. Barry Bonds will have another shot at the Hall of Fame in December. Also, who do you think will be the Giants’ uniform sponsor in 2023? And, why do we have to have a goddamn patch on these clean unis?! 

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Episode #267: Texas Ranger Bochy

Bruce Bochy was introduced as the next manager for the Texas Rangers earlier today (October 24, 2022). He signed a 3-year deal. The Rangers visit Oracle park Aug 11-13, 2023. That’ll be fun!

You can download the episode here, or stream it below!

All three hosts have a very lively conversation about the Astros and Phillies in the World Series, and how the Phillies’ run is reminiscent of the 2014 Giants. Eric really, really hates the Astros, btw. Bruce Bochy comes out of retirement to become the next manager of the Texas Rangers (BTW, Rangers visit Oracle next Aug 11-13). Pete Putila is the new Giants’ GM, and Zaidi promises to be “very active” this offseason, with reports that they are targeting Aaron Judge and Trea Turner. This and Eric’s epic entry and run in a World Poker Tour 5 Diamond tournament at the Bellagio last week!

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Episode #266: 2022 SF Giants Autopsy

Carlos Rodon appears pumped about the contract he’s going to cash in this offseason…probably. Rodon was voted by our hosts as the Giants’ best pitcher for 2022. Will he return in 2023? (probably not, if we’re being honest)

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It’s time to bust out the scalpel and open up the body of the Giants’ 2022 season to determine what went wrong with the team that won a franchise-record 107 games just a season ago. Eric, Willie, and Chad put their gloves on and dig deep into the mediocrity of their offense, the sub-average bullpen, and bad defense that was countered by their excellent starting pitching. They also put out their Christmas shopping list for Zaidi, take a look at how their pre-season predictions went, and forecast the 2022 MLB Playoffs. It’s a full one! Enjoy!

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Episode #243: 2021 Season Wrap

A bad call on Wilmer Flores’ check swing did not cause the Giants to lose this series. But, it did rob Giants fans and all baseball fans of a proper conclusion to the epic NLDS between the Giants and Dodgers that came down to the last AB of the last game with the winning run at the plate. (photo Sacramento Bee)

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We had to take a few days (or longer) to process the finality of the end of the #SFGiants‘ remarkable 2021 season, but we’re ready to talk about it.

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